The Free-Masons Vindication, Being An Answer To a Scandalous Libel, entituled the Grand Mistery of the Free Masons, discover’d, &c. Wherein is plainly prov’d the falsity of that Discovery, and how great an imposition it is on the Publick.
Invidiâ siculi, non invenere Tyranni Majus Tormentum. Hor. —Sic Murus Aheneus esto Nil conscire tibi, nullâ pallescere Culpâ. id. E Calo descendit γνῶθι σεαυτόν. Juv.
Having read a Paper lately publish’d, which has strove to deceive the World by a pretended Discovery of the Manners, and Customes of the Free Masons at their Assemblies, Meetings, &c, We of that Society thought it incumbent upon us to say something in Answer to it, not so much on account of the Paper it self, which deserves nothing but Ridicule (as we shall sufficiently show) to any understanding Man’s Consideration; but to undeceive those who have suffer’d themselves to be impos’d on by such an intolerable Abuse. Not that we by this reflect on those Gentlemen’s Iudgements, for they not knowing are the more liable to the Imposture; tho’ one wou’d hardly suppose a secret that has never been divulg’d since this Order first commenc’d, shou’d now be expos’d on such groundless, and I may say hardly credible Reasons. Our Antagonist tell’s you it was found in the Custody of a Free Mason who died suddenly; now we think that Excuse the most ridiculous in the World; for if We were so indiscreet as to commit our Orders to the Care of each Person of our Society, We cou’d not expect but it wou’d have been discover’d by many Mischances before this Time; but We are much more carefull in things of such Importance, and never leave it in the Power of the wisest Observer to discover the least hint of our Designs. Your Author’s Fable We don’t think it worth while to answer, since it so much reflects upon himself; for he has made his Discovery scarce equal to the Solution of his Ænigma. If we shou’d attempt to answer him Paragraph by Paragraph, it wou’d spend more Time than We can at present allow, since it is from first to last one continu’d Peice of Nonsence; and cou’d with more Reason (as did [tho’ upon a different Occasion] an eminent Divine) put a Mentiris to the End of all his Affirmatives; for it appears at first View more like a jargon of Contradictions, than a premeditated Composition.
The Free Masons having been allow’d to be the most ancient and honourable Society in the World, and both is and has been compos’d chiefly of the principal Nobility; but ’tis the same thing with our Author; the more excellent the subject, the Jest will pass the better; and nothing can please so well as a Fool that has lost his Manners; but what cou’d be his design is hard to be understood, or what exalted Ideas he has conceiv’d of us to make him bestow such uncommon Terms of Art on us, we can’t immagine. In our Health that he has taken such extraordinary Pains to anatomize, he owns we are a very noble, and ancient Fraternity, and makes our selves allow it to be a wonderfull Mystery; altho’ his Fable gave him the Lie no less than a Page before: whither this be Ignorance, or Impudence I leave the World to Determine.
The Author has taken a deal of Pains to very little purpose; and has been at a greater deal of Trouble to make himself Intelligeble, than an antiquated Apothecary; for the utmost of his Discovery leaves his Reader in a greater Dilemma than ever, and sufficiently shews how much it wants an Interpreter. What could induce him to be so ridiculous as to Write, or so impudent to publish, is perhaps hard to be determin’d, if Hunger or Envy were not the chief Motives: Be that as it will, we believe that those who have got Mr. Informer’s Instructions, will be as much at a loss to discover a Free Mason, as if he had still conceal’d his Directions, and will like himself, for ever remain in Ignorance.
What we intend by this Discourse, is not to honour our Author so far as to think him worth Contradiction; but to put his Readers in mind to consider their infallible Receipt a little more narrowly, and not be too confident in their belief of a Fable. Having therefore perform’d what we intended, we think it now time to bid our Author adieu, and to take this Advice, either never to Write, or to write something nearer Sense than his last. But as he in the beginning of his Information introduces himself with a very handsome apropo Fable, we shall condescend so far in imitation of him, to conclude with another, and to tell him, “That a Fox once having observ’d a large Bunch of excellent Grapes hanging in a very tempting Posture, over his Head, strove with the hazard of his Neck by a great many Leaps, Springs, and other Stratagems, to lead away Captive this Bunch, that by its alluring Colour and Magnitude, had dar’d to provoke his Appetite; but after many dangers escap’d, difficulties overcome, a few Limbs disjointed, and other chances of War, having found it impossible to compass his desires, he began by the instigation of his longing Stomach to Curse, and abuse what he had spent so many Hours, and receiv’d so many Bruises in attempting to recover.”
Adieu.
FINIS
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